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It should be noted by all concerned that the Sri Lanka Embassy
premises situated in any country is legally on Sri Lankan soil.
Hence, it is the prime duty of the Government of Sri Lanka to protect
it. I have seen the Indian High Commission in Colombo being guarded by
Indian Commandos, while the outside is guarded by the Police.
How come that the Sri Lankan Embassy in France if properly guarded,
came under the attack of suspected pro-LTTE members? Be it day or night,
this premises should be protected properly.
In an article regarding this incident, it was revealed that a
security guard has seen somebody hanging around the Embassy in the night
of the incident. The duty of the guard would have been to question him,
not to ignore.
With the LTTE getting thrashed by the Security Forces on all fronts,
they resort to all forms of violence against individuals and embassy
buildings around the world. This should be stopped at any cost.
If any country is not in a position to station armed guards at our
Embassies abroad, the Government of Sri Lanka should adopt the Indian
method of stationing Commandos at Embassy premises. The money spent on
this exercise is worthwhile.
SUNIL FERNANDO - Kalutara North
The article under the heading ‘The veterans were from Lake House’ by
Rajitha Weerakoon in the Daily News of September 6 is timely and food
for thought for the current day budding young journalists who would like
to emulate the great generation of bygone day scribes.
I might say it seems a rare commodity nowadays. With most of the
‘greats’ remembered in the article quoted, I feel the writer has missed
to mention W. P. P. De Silva (better known as ‘Willie’) who served Lake
House for decades as a journalist par excellence.
He was of course a very humble and unassuming character who shunned
publicity upto his death in 1999, which probably makes his name not
coming into the limelight, even after death.
NIHAL AMARASEKERA – Maharagama
Reader Deepal Hewavisenthi (DN Sep. 05) wonders why capital
punishment is not implemented when it is so sentenced by learned judges
and lawyers. The answer is simple. Learned judges and lawyers are known
to make mistakes occasionally and once an innocent is killed, it’s final
and cannot be unkilled.
SHAIK ANWAR AHAMATH
In Nadira Gunatilleke’s news item on ‘New Act for responsible pet
care’ in the Daily News of Sept. 4 she said that ‘performing operations
on bitches is not always a successful way of controlling the dog
population.
The Animals Welfare and Protection Association has conducted many
free sterilising and neutering programmes very successfully for the
public.
Sterilisation for females and neutering for males provides a humane
and effective answer to problems such as the spread of rabies and the
uncontrolled growth of the homeless dog and cat populations.
Sterilisation, as an answer to Rabies, is a procedure endorsed by the
World Health Organisation (WHO).
THE ANIMALS WELFARE AND PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
At present, there are many coins in circulation ranging from five
cents to 10 rupees.
It could be noted that coins of value less than one rupee are not of
much use as the purchasing power is almost nil.
Further, when there is a balance of less than one rupee due on a
payment, even the buyer is not interested in collecting same. Keeping
and accounting small coins is also troublesome and time consuming.
Therefore, I suggest the Central Bank to make a request to the public
to surrender all the coins in their custody which are less than Rs. 1
through banks, post offices, charity till boxes etc., and reuse them to
mint coins of higher denominations.
Even pricing structures could be rounded up to the nearest rupee
without cents. This will save a lot of trouble and time to the public at
large.
I presume the relevant authorities will take necessary action
accordingly.
S. R. BALACHANDRAN - The National Chamber of
Commerce of Sri Lanka
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